The Linemakers on Sporting News offer our opinions and picks on Sunday’s card. The lines and totals listed below are the Vegas consensus as of Saturday. You can check updated NFL point spreads and totals on our live odds page . Browns vs. Falcons (-3, 47), 1 p.m. ET, CBS While both teams ride six-game UNDER streaks, The Linemakers’ Brian Blessing is going the other way on this one. Richie Baccellieri, meanwhile, likes the Falcons at home ....
It’s the fourth time the Rams visit the British capital, but their first chance to play in Britain’s biggest stadium since relocating to Los Angeles. The franchise’s only visit to Wembley dates all the way back to 2012 when the then-St. Louis Rams were on the receiving end of a 45-7 shellacking from the New England Patriots. In 2016, the Rams lost 17-10 to the New York Giants and a year later they thrashed the Arizona Cardinals 33-0, but both games were played at Twickenham—the home of England’s rugby team....
Oklahoma’s group of NFL prospects doesn’t have the depth of 2019 when eight players were drafted, but the 2020 class has just as much early firepower. CeeDee Lamb headlines a group that could make an early impact, especially if they end up where Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer has them projected. Kenneth Murray and Neville Gallimore helped lead a much improved Sooner defense in 2019, and quarterback Jalen Hurts finished second in the Heisman after a senior season that is statistically equivalent to the last two No....
Jackson was confirmed as the MVP of the 2019 NFL season in Miami after starring for the 14-2 Ravens in his first full year as a starter. He broke Michael Vick’s single-season rushing record for a quarterback and led the league with 36 passing touchdowns as he delivered a series of astounding plays with his legs and arm. His performance earned him all 50 MVP first-place votes, making him only the second unanimous winner after Brady in 2010....
With his team’s success, coupled with monster numbers, it’s no surprise to see Rodgers as the odds-on favorite to win the 2014 season’s MVP award. Betting on who will win such awards is not allowed in Las Vegas, but we’ve come up with a set of mock odds ahead of Week 15 for your perusal and debate. Since 2000, only four non-QBs took home MVP honors. Adrian Peterson was the last one in 2012, but outshining the game’s best quarterbacks remains a rare feat....
The early odds, released by Bovada, feature the usual suspects: Quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers of the Packers (13/2), a two-time winner, and Tom Brady of the Patriots (7/2), the three-time and reigning MVP, stand out as favorites. Behind them is the Eagles’ Carson Wentz (19/2), who finished third in the voting behind Brady and Rams running back Todd Gurley last season. MORE: Watson injury update: Knee ‘doing good’ Gurley (40/1), following 2017, is only tied for 17th, with the other first two running backs on the board — Steelers RB LeVeon Bell and Cardinals RB David Johnson....
Meanwhile, one player is taking the opportunity to remind people he’s still looking for a job. Three things that matter Ezekiel Elliott ends holdout after getting Cowboys extension Just hours after Jared Goff signed a record-breaking deal with the Rams, Elliott got the contract he’s been holding out all offseason for — a six-year deal worth $90 million in new money that included $50 million guaranteed to make him the NFL’s highest-paid running back....
A Pro Bowl player surprisingly came out of retirement, while a star quarterback addressed his recovery from a major shoulder injury. That and more in this edition of NFL news and notes. Three things that matter Kalil ends retirement, signs with Jets That did not last long. Ryan Kalil said he was retiring after 2018 but announced on Thursday he was returning to the field and signing with the New York Jets....
In total, the tablets will be used in 10 games during the first three weeks of the preseason. MORE: Why NFL replay expansion did not pass “The goal of experimenting with the Tablets is to be more efficient in administering replay reviews,” NFL Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino said in a release. “We would like to determine if we can streamline the process.” The league used tablets for reviews for the first time in the Pro Bowl in January....
There also was one team, the Colts, that changed its potential identity from earlier in the week to becoming something old/different later in the week. At this point in the season, it’s about finding teams that more predictable in the sea of unpredictability. Here’s are Sporting News’ picks against the spread for every NFL Week 11 game. (Odds courtesy of Sports Interaction) NFL POWER RANKINGS: Chiefs overtake sliding Bills atop AFC...
There are some double-digit point spreads in Week 6, at least, per Sportsbook Review. The Ravens and Cowboys opened as such favorites over the Bengals and Jets, respectively. Those easy picks offset the five toss-up games that opened with point spreads of three or fewer points. MORE: Get the latest NFL odds at Sportsbook Review Though the NFL playoff picture is not a factor at this point in the season, Week 6 features a handful of key games that will impact division and wild-card races, particularly in the NFC....
For the third time in the Patrick Mahomes era, the Chiefs have finished the regular season in sole possession of first place in the AFC. Heavy may be the head that wears the crown, but few teams have proved as resilient as Kansas City over the years. After the offseason departure of star wideout Tyreek Hill, Kansas City looked ready to take a slight step back in 2022. But Cheetah’s move seemed to galvanize an offense that still had an embarrassment of riches....
Entering the primetime games in Week 16, there are 10 teams outside of playoff seeding still in the hunt for a berth — and all of them are under .500. The Patriots, Jets, Titans, Steelers and Raiders are still alive in the AFC with all of their Week 16 matchups played. Of those teams, the Raiders stand the biggest outside chance at 6-9 entering Week 17 — and they still have a chance after the Dolphins lost to the Packers on Christmas....
After a wild-card weekend that was anything but wild, the NFL’s four divisional-round games combined to create what was, arguably, the best weekend in NFL playoff history. Each matchup was decided by a game-winning score on the field play, with the Bengals, 49ers and Rams all notching walk-off field goals and the Chiefs capping off a miraculous comeback with an overtime touchdown. Now, the four remaining teams will do battle to see who has the right to go to the Super Bowl....
NEW YORK (Reuters) - National Football League officials weighed the fervour of players protesting racism against U.S. President Donald Trump’s anger at their autumn meeting on Tuesday with supporters of the players kneeling outside in solidarity. The NFL did not seek commitments from its players to stop kneeling during pregame renditions of the U.S. national anthem but rather focused on helping them in their political activism. “We spent today talking about the issues that our players have been trying to bring attention to....
In our last Sporting News power rankings before the playoffs, there’s another shakeup near the top based on the results of last week’s games. With a few more upsets, the middle and bottom also have a few more key changes. MORE: NFL playoff picture | Updated draft order Where does you favorite team stand or fall going into the final week? Without further ado, here’s the latest look at the NFL power structure, from No....
No one should be the least bit surprised by this. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a bona fide superstar in the NFL and currently leading the way with 206,525 Pro Bowl votes as of Thursday’s report from the NFL. Mahomes is the trigger man for the NFL’s most explosive offense and arguably its best overall team. Last week, he led the Chiefs to a 27-24 victory over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in which Mahomes threw for 462 yards and three touchdowns....
Owners were informed of the change this week at committee meetings in Houston, according to The Athletic, which cited ownership sources. The decision came after there wasn’t enough support from owners to add two more games to the regular season. “(P)layers would not go for it either,” a source told The Athletic. The change to 18 games was first proposed by owners in July as collective bargaining agreement talks intensified....
A few of them were pushed out the backdoor. Which were the most surprising cuts, and what else was shocking about the Dallas Cowboys’ final 53-man roster? #1 The Dallas Cowboys will have only two running backs Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard will be the only two running backs on the Dallas Cowboys’ roster heading into Week One. That should concern many Cowboys fans. If a running back gets hurt, there will only be one available....
Quarterbacks are the most in-demand players in the league, so don’t be surprised if teams are scrambling to make late moves for most of them. Here’s a look at some of the quarterbacks likely to be courting interest. NFL Roster Cuts 2021: Waived quarterbacks and their best fits #1 - Cam Newton to Philadelphia Eagles Let us begin with the big news today. Cam Newton is no longer with the New England Patriots after he was released by the organization....
